Each day that passes toward the upcoming 2024 election continues to emphasize the need for change in America. Democratic presidential nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris has made it clear that she is and will continue to be the champion for that change.
When Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race in July 2024, he immediately endorsed his vice president for the nomination, making Harris the frontrunner and inevitable nominee for the Democratic Party. However, if anything has been learned since July, it is that Kamala Harris will be a fearless and transparent leader.
Harris is undoubtedly focused on helping working-class Americans. She plans to expand the Child Tax Credit, which saw decreased levels of child poverty during the Biden administration. She also plans to give first-time home buyers $25,000, as well as a $50,000 tax credit to small business owners. While these new policies have been criticized for possible harm to the economy, they could also stimulate the economy and help thousands of Americans in the process.
Another focus of the Harris campaign revolves around healthcare reform. If elected, she would work to cap insulin prices at $35 per month, as well as to limit the out-of-pocket prescription drug price for Medicare beneficiaries at no more than $2,000 per year. She supports making the premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act permanent, making health insurance more affordable for middle-class Americans. She would also work to protect women’s reproductive rights by restoring federal protection to abortion, making sure women across America can receive safe and legal healthcare.
Harris has been outspoken about protecting America’s alliances with other nations and organizations such as NATO. She also has said she would support both a ceasefire and a hostage deal in an effort to end the Israel-Palestine conflict. Harris is firm on standing against authoritarianism, especially through sending aid to Ukraine to protect their democracy against Russia and Vladimir Putin’s regime.
From the perspective of a public school student, it is extremely important that Kamala Harris strongly opposes Project 2025. Project 2025 is a political agenda created by the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, and includes extremely conservative plans for reshaping the federal government. This includes but is not limited to eliminating the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency, lowering taxes on corporations and high-income earners, and dismantling the Affordable Care Act.
If enacted, Project 2025 would strip working-class Americans of their ability to send their children to school and access healthcare. If enacted, LGBTQ+ rights would continue to be restricted in schools across the nation. If enacted, climate change would become ten times harder to combat. Kamala Harris would never let this happen to our nation. She will defend the working-class Americans whose voices and needs have been overlooked and ignored for far too long.
I believe this country needs a president like Kamala Harris to forge a better future for many Americans. And while most high school students cannot vote, we are soon going to be active participants in democracy, and the best thing we can do is stay informed; learning to identify and not fall victim to misinformation plays a big role in that. One way or another, a change is going to come in November, and I truly hope that this next chapter of American history is one we can be proud of.
